Frosted Glass
by DrowningxInxSapphire
Summary: *Sequel to The Award* Co-written by carebearfrost, this is a story about broken hearts, new lives, and the rekindling of lost love- it'll leave you saying, "Awwww.."
1. Prologue

_**Hey everyone! So, this is the sequel to an amazing story called 'The Award' by carebearfrost. I highly suggest reading that first before taking a look at this, or you will be extremely confused. But I won't stop you from trying! This is a collaborative effort, as carebearfrost and I have both been working on this for a few days. I hope y'all like it, and please review if you can! We're anxious to see what you have to say! :)**_

~_**Emily&Emily**_

* * *

It was colder out there—freezing almost—as a pale young girl gathered her stack of thick, rigid text books into her arms and took off down the street before the storm started.

The weather had been awful in the small state of Wisconsin the last few weeks, and Sonny Munroe didn't know why. All she knew was that the books she had just purchased for university were getting soaked by the inconvenient rain that was pounding, droplet after droplet, on her wavy black hair creating dark, salty spots on the clothes she had just washed.

She breathed a heavy sigh of relief as she clambered into her beaten down Saturn and slammed the door shut, protecting herself from the lightening that threatened to illuminate the sky. Her books were soaked through, and she cursed under her breath; five hundred dollars down the drain.

She put the keys in the ignition, praying that this time her car would turn on and she could make it home safely. All she wanted was a bowl of hot soup and a quiet study session; university was tough enough without having little disruptions here and there from the Aunt and Uncle she was staying with. They were great people- the kind who took their crying, lonely niece into their home four years past when she showed up at their door one fateful night with nothing but an exhausted car, an empty gas tank and a duffel bag- but they were growing old, and were becoming a nuisance to the aspiring school teacher.

With one last hopeful twist, the old automobile shook awake and took a frustrated, moody Sonny home to her family.

x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x

Rain.

Must it always rain in this town?

The young actor sighed and ran a finger through his hair as he watched the  
rain droplets slide down his window, colliding with others as they made their slow descent. Rain always unnerved him for some reason. He used to love the rain, but then, around four years ago, he started hating it. For Chad Dylan Cooper, rain always brought sadness. Whether it was bad news, bad timing, bad traffic, it didn't matter. Rain never came without bringing something awful along with it.

"Chad?" A voice snapped him out of his thoughts. Chad focused his attention back to Emiline. "Are you alright?" she urged, her green eyes shining with concern. She placed a comforting hand on his shoulder and looked at him with sympathetic eyes.

Chad smiled faintly, "Yeah . . . I'm fine. Let's go."

Stepping out of his new multi-million dollar car, Chad swung his jacket over his shoulder and held a hand out for his companion, "Shall we?"

Emiline smiled. "We shall.," she said. His heart squeezed painfully at the sudden memory of Son-

No.

Don't think about it.

Chad shook his head sharply as he and his girlfriend of two years ran quickly inside the Beach Grove, their favourite beach-side restaurant, to avoid being pelted by raindrops.

Emiline laughed and shook out her long, brown hair. "Well," she said lightly, giggling. "I guess this means we can't go to the beach."

See? Rain ruins everything.

Chad glanced outside the foggy window and flashbacks of that horrible night attacked his mind. Chad could feel his mood beginning to darken. He knew he shouldn't dwell on the past -especially as long as 4 years back- but the heartbreak and pain was still so strong, sometimes Chad would wonder how he ever recovered.

_No, stop it, _Chad instructed himself firmly. _you have Emiline, your gorgeous, funny, nice,  
caring girlfriend of two years. She only lasted seven months. She shouldn't  
matter. _

But, the sad thing is, she did.

For the first year after she left, Chad did nothing except mope around. He barely made it in time for Mackenzie Falls rehearsals and as a result of the whole situation, the show's ratings dropped.  
The next year, Mackenzie Falls ended, and Chad realized that he had to get his act together. As soon as he did this, he landed a movie deal, and a girlfriend. That movie ended, but the opportunities didn't. Movie after movie, after interview after commercial, after TV series, making CDC more famous than ever.

With everything Chad had, that funny brunette shouldn't have been crossing his mind at all.

But the thoughts of her never ceased.

Chad quickly shook his head and smiled at Emiline as they sat at their usual table, trying to rid all thoughts of Son - her - out of his head. He should be happy. His life was perfect, his girlfriend was perfect, and his career was perfect.

Just…perfect…

x.x.x.x..x.x.x.x..xx.x.x.x.x.

Sonny stared at herself in the mirror. Her long hair was dripping wet and her dark makeup was smudged under her eyes. The storm she was caught in definitely took its toll on her appearance. She toyed with the ends of her hair and sighed, remembering when she had first dyed it; remembering the hurt, the pain, the sorrow that occurred before her breakdown. And all because of—

She stopped herself. She wouldn't say that name.

"Sonny!" a crackled voice called from the bottom of the stairs. Sonny sighed and reached for a dry t-shirt.

"Yes?" she shouted back.

"SONNY!" it called again. She rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"Coming," she mumbled. As she walked out of the bathroom and past her room, a heart-wrenchingly familiar glint caught her eye. She stopped for a second and glanced at it. The tiny golden statue- the small materialistic item that had haunted her for four years; that attacked her in her dreams- glared at her with chrome eyes. An arrow of pain pierced her chest, and she gasped.

The Emmy, the award that had caused so much pain, so much chaos, too much heartbreak, smirked at her retreating figure.


	2. Revelation

_**Hey everyone! Emily and I are really excited about this story, so please read, enjoy, and hopefully review! :)**_

**_Emily (carebearfrost) says that you readers are:_**

the bees knees. the bomb . com. beaster than easter.

_**So there ya have it ;)**_

Chad was anxious.

And this anxiety had nothing to do with the fact that he was soon to be filming a scene of the biggest explosion with live actors in history. No, it wasn't about that. It wasn't raining, either. Chad shifted his weight from one foot to another, desperately trying to figure out why he was so on edge. He wondered about talking to Emiline; surely she would have answers.

Chad leaned back in his chair, knowing that he should have been reviewing his lines for the next shoot. He was currently on the set of his new movie, Dark Shadows, CDC's first horror film.

The lines on the script blurred together, and Chad sighed, starting to think that maybe calling Emiline would be a good thing. She would help him.

But then again, she probably wouldn't. Emiline knew nothing of Chad's troubles; at least, not the one's in his heart. Chad sighed for probably the tenth time in the past minute and ground his teeth together angrily, trying to calm himself down. He was an actor, he should be able to control these annoying emotions.

"Chad!" He looked up and found himself looking straight into a pair of bright green eyes.

Chad blinked, startled, "Emiline?" He questioned, "Why are you . . . here?"

Emiline smiled and sat down on the couch next to him. "I brought you lunch," she said simply, her light voice floating up and disintegrating into the air. She opened a small bag that Chad didn't realize she was holding, and opened it. "Turkey, cheese, vinegar, and tomato, just how you like it," she added. Emiline pulled out a wrapped sandwich and handed it to Chad, who took it and smiled distractedly.

Chad munched on his sandwich half-heartedly, occasionally shooting Emiline a small smile to avoid any suspicion she might have. It didn't work.

"Chad?" Emiline prodded his arm gently, "Are you okay? You've seemed kind of . . . distracted the past couple of days."

Chad winced slightly. Shit. She noticed.

Chad swallowed the last bite of his sandwich and smiled reassuringly at the brown-haired girl next to him. "I've just been feeling very-" he paused to think of the word, "-edgy, lately." Chad spoke slowly, and cautiously.

Emiline's eyes flashed with alarm. "Are you in pain? Do you need some advil? Here, I have advil." Emiline began to search in her purse frantically, as if Chad would drop dead at any second.

Chad laughed briefly and grabbed Emiline's hands, "No, no, I'm fine; just kind of irritated."

Emiline squeezed his hand comfortingly, "Oh," she said softly. "I'm sorry."

Chad shrugged, "Yeah, well, what can you do, you know?"

Emiline nodded and stood up. "I have to go, can't miss my meeting with People," she said apologetically. Chad stood up to walk her out, and together they walked out of his dressing room hand in hand.

_"Chad!" She shrieked, "Stop!" _

_Chad laughed and just tickled her harder, "Make me!" _

_Sonny laughed and swatted away his hands. "P-Please, I can't, breathe!" She wheezed, laughing._

_Chad chuckled and reluctantly pulled away. "Fine," he grumbled, crossing his arms. _

_Sonny smiled, "Fine."_

_"Good."_

_"Good." Chad stood up and offered Sonny a hand, "Come on, let's get lunch." Sonny took his hand and they walked out of her dressing room to the cafeteria, with her head resting on his shoulder, and their hands intertwined. _

Chad gasped, freezing. The memory had hit him like an eighteen wheeler. Chad stood still, eyes closed, unable to move. Suddenly everything was Sonny. It was like she was here, with him- taunting him, torturing him. He could smell the achingly familiar smell of her hair,

_"Your hair smells good," Chad commented, running his fingers through Sonny's hair. _

_She laughed and stared up at him. "Um, thanks?" Sonny said, still laughing as she reached up and kissed him lightly. _

He felt her petite fingers dance lightly across his skin, making him crave for her touch,

_"Are you serious?" Sonny asked incredulously, walking over to him. "You can't tie your own tie?" _

_Chad looked down sheepishly, "U-Um, no." _

_Sonny rolled her eyes and reached up, beginning to tie it for him. "There," she said, her hands lingering on the skin on his neck. "Pretty good, if I do say so myself," Sonny said, trying to ignore the electricity than ran through her fingers when she touched him. _

"Chad," Sonny's heart-broken voice whispered, echoed, in his ear, making Chad shiver, and blasting him to the most horrific memory of his life.

_"SONNY!" Chad screamed, watching in horror as Sonny's blue truck drove out of the parking lot. Chad fell to his knees and sobbed, ignoring the hard rain that pelted him like bullets. All he could feel was an agonizing pain in his chest, the twisting and screaming of his heart as it shattered into a thousand tiny pieces, each threatening to crawl their way out of his chest in little stabs. _

Chad went rigid, a new pain slamming into him, taking his breath away. His lungs seemed to be constricting, smaller, smaller. He needed air, air, air. . .

"CHAD!" A hysteric voice sling-shot Chad back into reality. His eyes shot open, and he gasped, panting in air like a near-drowned man would. Looking around, Chad saw that there was no Sonny, just a frantic looking Emiline.

"Are you okay? Can you hear me? Chad?" Emiline's voice was steadily rising, and she looked like she was about to cry.

"I-I. . . ," Chad uttered, unable to speak. Emiline burst into tears, "Someone, help!" She shrieked, shaking Chad's arm, "Can you hear me? Please, oh, god, Chad!"

Her voice was just a dull place in Chad's mind as he stumbled over to a couch and flopped down on top of it, shaking. "Chad?" Emiline's voice came again, "Please, Chad, say something, you're scaring me."

Chad blinked several times, slowly starting to seep back into the present. His eyes focused on Emiline, who was crying and sitting in front of him.

"Chad?" Emiline said again, this time softer. "Nod if you can here me."

Chad nodded slowly, "I'm sorry," Chad apologized, making Emiline gasp. "I really have no idea what just happened . . ." Emiline's eyes widened the size of saucers, and in a split second she had her arms around Chad in a crushing hug.

"I was so scared," Emiline gasped. "You were just standing there, unresponsive, and I thought-," Emiline broke off, shaking her head.

Chad offered a small smile, "I'm okay, really." Emiline didn't' look convinced, but Chad didn't necessarily care. Chad suddenly noticed that she was holding his hand, and a pang shot through him when he realized that it didn't fit right, unlike _hers_. "Listen, filming is about to start up again, so, you know." Chad motioned towards the door.

Emiline nodded understandingly, "Oh, right, yeah, I have a meeting anyway. Are you sure you're alright?"

Chad nodded. "Yep," he said. "Peachy."

Emiline rolled her eyes and kissed Chad's forehead lightly. "Well, you're using humour, so you have to be okay."

Chad smirked. "Bye Emiline."

Emiline smiled at Chad as she got up. "Bye, Chad. Don't work yourself too hard today. I love you!" Emiline called as she turned the corner and was out of sight.

Chad frowned once she was out of ear-shot. "Love you too. . ." He mumbled half-heartedly, his mind wandering off to the weird flashbacks he just experienced. What had caused those? It wasn't as if he doesn't think about Sonny, because he does. But that. . . that was just _weird_.

"Cooper!" Chad snapped his head up and saw his director, Frank, walk up to him. "Hey, kid, come on, we got an explosion to film, chop chop!"

Chad blinked, dazed and stood up. "Right. . . I'm coming."

And with that, Chad trailed behind his director, his mind more worried on what caused those flashbacks then the fact that he was off to go film a life-risking explosion.

He _really _needed to fix his priorities.

x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x

Chad shivered, groaning when he realized that he left his jacket inside the studio. Rushing out of his car, Chad bounded up the steps to his mansion and quickly burst into the door, feeling his cheeks beginning to thaw at the warm air that swirled around him.

_"Sometimes you shock me with at how un-sensitive you are," Sonny snarled, shaking her head. _

_Chad groaned, "Sonny, you _know _that I didn't mean it that way, I really don't get why you think that I would-"_

_"Just forget it, Chad," Sonny snapped, shooting him a glare. "You've already done enough. Just get out."_

_"Sonny-"_

_"OUT." _

Chad gasped and quickly shut the door to his house. Another one.

Shaking his head, Chad walked into the kitchen and began to pour himself a cup of coffee. "I'm going crazy," the troubled actor muttered. "I'm really going crazy." Chad grabbed his steaming coffee and sat down at the table, beginning to idly flip through the newspaper. It was his normal routine after a hard days work; come home, relax, go to bed, and the cycle starts over.

On the second page, there was an article about Emiline. Chad smiled warmly, staring at the article. It still amazed him at how lucky he was to be with Emiline. They first met two years ago. She was an intern at the studio that he was filming the Mackenzie Falls first movie at, and they instantly clicked. Now, two years later, they were inseparable. But, slowly and surely, Chad was realizing that as amazing as Emiline was, his heart would never be satisfied.

And unfortunately, it was all too clear that only one person would be fully and truly hold Chad's affections.

And that girl left, four years ago.

Chad sighed and sipped his coffee, not even bothering to wince as the steaming liquid scorched his throat.

_Chad paced nervously outside her dressing room, freezing when he saw a flower petal flutter to the ground. "Damn," Chad muttered, bending down to pick it up. Right as he did so, the door opened and a startled brunette stepped out. _

_"Chad?" She asked, staring at the young actor in confusion. Chad yelped and jumped up, gulping when he saw Sonny staring at him. _

_"Um, what are you doing? And why are you holding flowers?" She asked, amused. _

_The whole plan seemed to disappear from his mind. "Um, uh. . ." Chad racked his brain for an excuse, but none came. _

_Sonny raised an eyebrow. "Chad. Spit it out."_

_"Sonny will you go out with me?" Chad burst out in a rush. _

Chad choked on his coffee, startled at yet another flashback. "What is going on?" He groaned angrily, running a finger through his hair. This was getting out of hand. It's been four years; it's time for him to move on.

And getting all these darned flashbacks wasn't helping him at all.

_"You don't love me at all, do you?" Sonny exclaimed, tears running through her cheeks. _

_Chad sighed angrily. "No, Sonny, I do. I just need some time-,"_

_"You always need time, Chad!" Sonny cried, hurt written plainly on her face, "It's always more freaking time!" _

_"Sonny," Chad started, walking towards her._

_"No," Sonny yelled, backing away, "Just, leave me alone!" With a sob that made Chad's heart clench, Sonny fled from Chad's house, leaving Chad standing in the doorframe, knowing he screwed up. _

"Oh, my god!" Chad held his head in his hands and groaned. Something was seriously messed up. Chad looked up with weary eyes and found he staring straight at the calendar. For the first time, Chad realized what day it was.

_August 22nd._

He dropped his coffee cup. The shatter of the glass mug didn't register to his ears; neither did he feel the scalding liquid seep into his toes. All he could focus on was the date.

**August 22. August 22. August 22. August 22. August 22. August 22.**

The date echoed in Chad's brain. "August 22." Chad's whisper filled the air and bounced off the walls.

It's been exactly four years to the day since Sonny left.

Chad stumbled backwards and fell on the floor in an attempt to sit down.

Of course. That explained everything. The flashbacks were his brain's subconscious way of telling him this. Chad shook his head in disbelief, suddenly realizing that he had to see her. It's been four years. They could just, meet up in a professional business situation, right?

Feeling certain, Chad reached for his phone and dialled the one person who is was sure would help.

"Hello?"

"Tawni, it's me. Chad."

x.x.x.x.x..x.x.x.x.x..x.x.x.x

Sonny bounced into her Aunt and Uncle's kitchen with a beaming smile on her face and headed straight for the cupboard. Her university friends were over for the night and it was the first time in two months she could sit down and have a fun time with her friends and some old movies.

"You seem excited," her aging Aunt said with a cheery grin that caused the wrinkles on her face to bunch up near her eyes. "Having fun with the girls?"

Sonny nodded enthusiastically and grabbed the chips from the shelf.

"Don't get too carried away, now," her Uncle said, constantly changing the channel on the retro TV they owned. It was obnoxiously big, brown and the programs were always fuzzy; her Aunt and Uncle never cared much for updated technology.

"We won't, Uncle," Sonny said, shaking her head. "I'll see you two later!"

She bounded off towards her room. As she approached the door, she heard an all-too-familiar sound.

"_Chloe, you know that the Falls is important to me…"_

Sonny almost dropped her chips.

"Oh, he is _so dreamy_," the muffled voice of her friend Erica cooed.

"I can't believe how well he's done since—Sonny!" Jessica said with a nervous laugh as Sonny barged in. Her face was lit with anger and her eyes began to water. Mackenzie's voice still spoke in the background even though all three girls were silent.

"Please," Sonny forced out, throwing the bag of chips on her bed and collapsing onto it in despair and sadness. "Shut that off."

Her voice was so chillingly quiet that Erica and Jessica just looked at each other, each sharing the shiver that travelled down their spines. Erica slowly reached for the remote and as the TV blinked off and Chad's voice faded, Sonny's silent sobs filled the room.

"Sonny, we didn't mean to…" Jessica began.

"I mean, you suggested watching old movies..." Erica continued

"And this was pretty old…four years is a long time…" Jessica tried to explain, but Sonny's head sunk deeper into her arms.

"Four years is _not_ a long time," Sonny mumbled, and even though the statement was almost inaudible, the two girls could sense the viciousness in her voice.

Erica and Jessica looked at each other; they knew what had happened between Sonny and Chad. Not only was it all over the media when it occurred, but when they first met Sonny in university a year ago, she wasn't what the media first portrayed her to be- the innocent, cheerful girl from a small town. In fact, when she first walked into the classroom, no one recognized her. It was when she subtly sat next to Erica that the two began to chat, and Erica soon realized that even though the Sonny the world once knew had been destroyed by the handsome heartthrob, there was still a jovial young girl inside, waiting to live her life.

Jessica came into the picture a few months later when Erica and Sonny were out for coffee, and Jessica was sitting by herself at a table off to the side. Sonny, being the friendly and approachable person she was, called over Jessica, and the three girls talked about teaching, their friends and family, and their pasts. They became best friends, having frequent coffee dates, study sessions, and the occasional slumber party.

Jessica stood up and put her arm around Sonny.

"Honey, it's okay, you don't need to worry," she said soothingly. Sonny choked back more sobs, trying to regain control, and then losing it again when bright images began to flood her mind…

"_And then Tawni just tore my dress, just because it was better than hers!" Sonny cried into her boyfriend's shoulder. He gently stroked her hair and held her tight._

"_Honey, it's okay," he said, kissing her on the forehead. "You don't need to worry. Tawni is just jealous of you because you're so perfect."_

_She looked up with teary eyes and smiled as he kissed her._

Sonny stood up and threw herself against the wall, crossing her arms over her chest as if holding herself together. She shook violently and sunk to the floor in a sad heap. Jessica and Erica stared wide-eyed. They had never seen their friend like this.

"Sonny, we really didn't mean to," Erica said, trying her best to make it all better. "We just found these old DVDs in your closet. It seemed innocent enough at the time. We weren't thinking."

"Yeah, here, have some chocolate, it'll make it all better, I swear," Jessica suggested, holding out a bar of the sweet treat in her outstretched hand.

Sonny twitched.

"_I hate Valentine's Day," Tawni muttered as her and Sonny walked down the So Random! hallway towards their dressing room._

"_Why?" Sonny asked. "It's so romantic!"_

"_Yeah, for you," Tawni mumbled, opening the door and stepping inside the room. "It's different for you because you have a boyfr—whoa…"_

"_Oh. My. Gosh." Sonny gasped. Inside the dressing room, every flat surface was covered with miniature heart-shaped chocolate. In the midst of the sea of shiny red wrappers, there were three bouquets of white roses and a small card. Sonny top-toed around the candies and snatched the small piece of paper._

**Sonny,** _it read._ **You're the light of my world, and I figured just giving you my heart wasn't enough. So I gave you thousands. Happy Valentine's Day. ~Chad.**

Sonny fell into her friend's arms and wept. Why, of all times, did today have to be the day of horrible memories and flashbacks that she couldn't control? Her heart ached a little more than usual; her head spun faster than normal. It was never this bad- usually she would hold back the hurtful thoughts and cry to herself at night so she wouldn't waken her Aunt and Uncle. But this time, it was different.

Sonny suddenly looked up, her dark eyes turning a shade of eerie black.

"What's the date?" she asked, her voice cracking from crying.

Jessica and Erica looked puzzled, but Erica checked her Blackberry.

"August twenty-second, why?" she replied.

Sonny sighed before another image, the most painful memory of all, jumped into her mind.

_Sonny ran to her car, distressed and destroyed from the day's emotional earthquake. Tears poured down her face as she threw her duffel bag in the trunk. As she was about to climb in to drive far away from this awful place, the sound of an approaching engine and a familiar voice filled the air._

"_W-wait," Chad said slowly as he jumped out of his car and faced her. "You're… leaving?"_

_More tears streamed down her face, ruining her makeup. "Go. Away. Please, just go away!"_

"_Sonny," he said, his voice slicing through the rain like a knife. "Please, don't leave me."_

Sonny's eyes blurred with tears as she tried to look at the pained faces of her concerned friends. She needed to get the memory out of her head, but it wouldn't—

"_You have no right to speak to me!" she shouted, ignoring how her heart melted at his soaked hair and glimmering eyes. "After all you did to me, Chad! After what you put me through!"_

_He just stood there._

"How could he have just stood there?" Sonny mumbled to herself. Erica and Jessica looked at each other, having no idea how to handle this.

"_Please," he choked out. "We can fix this, Sonny. I-I…"_

_Sonny waited as the rain poured down on her face. She didn't care that her shoes were ruined or her mascara was clumping._

"_I love you," he whispered, and she could hear it through the downpour, and it pierced her heart like an arrow._

"_No, you don't," she replied harshly._

"I do," Sonny said. "I do. I always did, I always will…"

"Always will what?" Erica asked, placing a comforting hand on her friend's shoulder.

Sonny didn't answer as the memories continued to attack her mind.

_Sonny shook her head and said, "If you did, then you wouldn't have been with someone else, Chad!"_

_The statement crushed her to think about, and she used all her energy to focus on what his reply was, but she couldn't. All she could think about was how fast her pathetic vehicle could take her away from here._

_Heated words were exchanged, tears were shed, and the next damn thing she knew was the dark, blurry highway ahead of her and the distant cry of a heartbroken boy._

Sonny gasped and collapsed against the wall, her breath was shaky and uncontrolled and bright lights blinded her vision.

"Sonny? SONNY!" She could hear her friend's distant cries as Sonny's eyes blanked out and she felt her head hit the floor. Everything went black.

x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x

Sonny's eyes fluttered open slowly and focused on four worried faces; her two friends and her Aunt and Uncle. Her head was pounding, but she tried to sit up anyway.

"W-what happened?" she muttered, holding a hand to her forehead. She glanced around at her surroundings and realized she was in the living room. A bucket of cold water was placed next to her, and it was the first time she realized that she was soaked head to toe, and freezing.

Erica wrapped a quilt around her. "You blacked out," she answered, rubbing Sonny's shoulders. "You really scared us, Sonshine."

"_Hey Sonshine, looking beautiful as always."_

"_Oh, calm down, Sonshine, everything will be okay."_

"_Sonshine, those cookies are delicious."_

"_Oh, I was just teasing, Sonshine. You know I love you…"_

Sonny shrieked and fell back onto the sofa, clutching her head like she could destroy the awful memories if she squeezed hard enough. Her hair was tangled and her eyes were wild. What was happening to her?

"Sonny, Sonny!" Jessica cried, draping the quilt over Sonny's quivering body. "Calm down, shhhh."

As Sonny breathed deeply, exhaling and inhaling as if it took all her concentration, the doorbell rang.

"Could you get that, Jessica?" Sonny's Aunt asked, waving Jessica away and she tended to her hurt niece.

"Sure," she said. Jessica strode over to the door and swung it open.

"Is Sonny home?"

Sonny let out an astonished gasp when she heard the familiar voice. The figure walked into the living room, making Sonny whimper and her head spin more when she saw that familiar blonde hair and blue eyes, ones that she hadn't seen in four years. . .

* * *

Review!

~Em&Em.


	3. Hesitation

_**So there you have it! Sorry it took so damn long. But just a heads up, I'm gone for the next 10 days on vacation. :( I'll talk to Emily about what we're going to do about the next chapter, but for now, enjoy this one!**_

**_~Emily&Emily._**

"Oh, my god! It's . . . it's. . . AH!" The girl finished with a scream, unable to finish her sentence.

The heavily coated figure repressed a smirk as the girl appeared to start hyperventilating. Suddenly, Sonny Munroe was behind the girl, pulling her away from the door slightly. Her brown eyes were brimming with tears. Sonny put a hand over her mouth and shook her head.

"Oh, my god," she whispered in disbelief, staring at the person in the doorway. Without thinking, Sonny rushed forward and wrapped her arms around the shivering figure.

"Tawni!" Sonny cried, squeezing her long-lost friend tightly. Tawni, who was crying now, felt a rush of warmth. She couldn't believe it, after four years, she was seeing Sonny -her best friend- again.

"I can't believe it!" Tawni cried, "I've missed you so much!"

Finally, they pulled back. "What are you . . . why are. . . how- Just come in." Sonny finished weakly, grabbing Tawni's arm and pulling her inside the house. "You must be freezing!" Sonny exclaimed as she rushed Tawni past star-struck Jessica and Erica.

"T-Tawni Hart. . . " Erica whispered, dazed, as she watched Sonny usher Tawni into the kitchen.

Sonny pulled the shivering Tawni into the kitchen and began to make her some hot chocolate.

"Do you like hot chocolate? Wait, of course you do, I remember the time when-"

"We judged that competition for Nestle!" Tawni cut in with a knowing smile.

Sonny laughed as she stirred the brown mixture in a cow-spotted mug and handed it to Tawni. She watched as Tawni accepted it gratefully and began drinking, not able to believe her eyes.

"I just . . . can't believe it. What are you doing here?" Sonny inquired, trying to blink away extra tears.

Tawni smiled and set down her mug. "I'll tell you later, after we catch up."

And that's exactly what they did. For three hours the duo sat in the kitchen, talking about anything and everything. Their topics ranged from jobs, school, pets, money, politics, old memories, and even Chad. Jessica and Erica sat hunched on their stools with their head in their hands, listening intently.

Tawni coughed after Sonny finished explaining why she left and said, "See, Sonny, about that, um. . . I don't really know how to say this, but, Chad's. . . hurt."

Sonny blinked, "What?"

Tawni fidgeted with her hands and summoned every amount of acting skills she possessed so she could pull off the lie. "He got in a car accident."

"We didn't hear about any accident," Erica cut in, gesturing to herself and Jessica.

Tawni's eyes shifted from side to side; she never discussed this part with Chad.

"Well, he was in a disguise to avoid the paparazzi, so when he crashed, nobody recognized him. He was rushed to the hospital right away," she managed to say with a smooth voice. No wonder she was an actress.

Sonny's breath caught in her throat. "C-Chad's hurt? Like, seriously hurt?"

Tawni nodded solemnly, "Yes. His unconscious body is lying in a dirty hospital cot as we speak. I thought you at least would want to know."

Sonny couldn't comprehend it. Chad was hanging on to life by a thread? Because of a _car accident_? It was unreal. It was unbelievable. As much as she hated him for what he did to her, if Chad died. . . she couldn't even think about it without her heart racing and her head spinning.

"Oh, my god," Sonny breathed, covering her mouth with her hand. Behind her, she heard sniffles. Glancing over her shoulder, Sonny saw that Erica and Jessica were crying.

"C-C-Chad Dylan Cooper c-can't be d-d-d-dead!" Erica sobbed, burying her face in her hands while Jessica patted her shoulder comfortingly.

Tawni suppressed a smirk, "No, he's not dead; he's just in critical condition." Reverting her attention back to Sonny, Tawni said, "And, about that. Sonny, I didn't just come here to tell you the news. I came to take you back with me."

Sonny's eyes widened. There was _no _way that she was going back to Hollywood. That's crazy talk.

"I really think you should visit him, Sonny. This may be the last chance you get to see him," Tawni finished, adding the last dramatic cherry on top.

"Um, no." Sonny said apologetically, "Tawni, you should know that I _can't_, I just can't go back there- especially because of Chad." Sonny shook her head briskly at the idea, her suddenly sweaty hands clutching the marble counter top tightly.

Tawni gazed at Sonny sympathetically. "Son," -Sonny winced, hearing her old nickname- "If Chad doesn't make it, what would you do? Would you be able to stand it, knowing that you had a chance to go clear things up with him, but you didn't? Would you be able to live with that guilt?" Tawni's penetrating eyes bore into Sonny's.

"Come on, Sonny! He could _die_!" Jessica chirped from behind her.

"Yeah, I mean, it's been four years anyway. You should at least talk to him," Erica chimed in, shrinking back when she received a death glare from Sonny. Sonny turned back to Tawni and sighed, "But he has a girlfriend."

Tawni rolled her eyes, "So? I mean, it's not like your going to get back together or something. You just need to go and talk to him, say that he's going to be okay, that you forgive him, blah blah blah. . . "

"But I _don't _forgive him," Sonny pointed out, stirring her hot chocolate absentmindedly.

Tawni gave Sonny a look. "I still believe that something was up. You and Chad were crazy for each other; I don't believe that he cheated on you."

"Then why would he say it, Tawni?" Sonny snapped, the memories flooding back in a whirlwind of pain and hurt. "You don't say that you cheated on someone if it wasn't true! There would be no freaking point!" Tawni's eyes softened and she reached out and squeezed Sonny's hand.

"Look," Tawni said gently, "I'm not asking you to forgive him. I'm not asking you to be nice to him. I'm just asking that you go and see him, because I'm sure that would mean a lot to him."

"But he's unconscious, right? He won't even know I'm there!" Sonny realized, trying to get out of this situation any way she could.

Tawni just looked at her, and she could feel the glares from Erica and Jessica behind her.

Sonny sighed and squeezed her eyes shut, flinching when she felt an ice cold tear slide down her cheek. "F-fine," Sonny said finally, looking up at Tawni. "I'll go."

Tawni grinned, and cheers erupted from behind Sonny.

Sonny rolled her eyes when she heard Jessica and Erica jumping up and down, "We're going to Hollywood, we're going to Hollywood, we're going to-oh." They stopped when they saw Sonny's raised eyebrow.

"Um, _you're_ going to Hollywood?" Jessica guessed meekly. Sonny nodded, and they groaned. "Awww! No fair! We want to go!"

Tawni smirked, she could see how they became friends with Sonny. "Can you at least get us Chad's autograph?" Erica asked, "You know, if he ever comes out of his coma and stuff?" she pleaded as Sonny ushered them out of the kitchen and into the hallway.

"Yes, yes, fine, just go!" Sonny said, playfully shoving them out the door.

"Bye Sonny! We love you!" Sonny laughed lightly when she heard Erica and Jessica yell through the closed door. She turned and started walking back to the kitchen where Tawni wasm but as she approached she could hear her talking to someone on the phone.

When Tawni saw Sonny, her eyes widened. "Gotta go bye!" Tawni rushed, hanging up the phone hurriedly.

Sonny raised an eyebrow, "Who was that?" she asked, staring at Tawni.

Tawni shrugged, "Um, no one."

Sonny rolled her eyes and placed her hands on her hips.

"Alright. When do we leave?"

x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x

Chad looked at his phone for the thousandth time that day, checking to see if Tawni called, which she hadn't. Chad really hoped that Sonny would come, that Tawni would be able to convince her; if she couldn't than the hour on the phone with Tawni beforehand going over the plan, and the $1250 first-class ticket that Tawni insisted on having would all be for nothing.

Chad sighed angrily and ran a finger through his hair. She could at least call and update him, even if no progress had been made! Suddenly, Chad's ringtone blared throughout the empty house, making him jump ten feet in the air.

"Jesus," Chad muttered as he scrambled to grab his phone. "Hello?" Chad answered, praying it was Tawni.

"I'm _so _awesome," Tawni's enthusiastic voice came through the phone.

A smiled tugged at Chad's lips. "Does that mean that she's coming?" Chad asked, hope filling the very core of his being.

"Of course she is," Tawni exclaimed happily.

Chad breathed a sigh of relief. "Good, what did you tell her?"

He could practically hear Tawni's smirk. "That you were in a fatal car accident."

Chad's jaw dropped. "And she believed it?"

"Apparently, wait, I think she's coming, got to go bye!" Her voice fading before he heard the dial tone.

Chad grinned dopily and set his phone down. Sonny was coming back! Four years, and he was finally going to see those deep brown eyes and that glowing smile again.

Suddenly, a frown settled on his lips.

What was Chad going to do about Emiline?


	4. Reservation

After successfully avoiding his dinner date with Emiline, Chad pushed open the hospital doors with a determined face and clenched fists. He needed a room- pronto. The girl of his drea- Sonny was on a direct flight to Hollywood under the impression that he had been injured in a car accident. His mind was fuzzy just thinking about seeing her again, and he almost forgot what he was doing until the scent of sanitizer and illness hit him like a tidal wave.

A man in blue scrubs carrying a clipboard crossed Chad's path, and Chad gripped him by the arm.

"Can I help you, sir?" the doctor asked with a confused expression painting the laugh lines around his eyes.

"Can I speak to your manager?" Chad asked, glancing around and dropping the doctor's arm.

The doctor's eyes squinted. "Sir, this is a hospital. We don't usually have the head of the Board of Health here," he said, crossing his arms. Chad felt dumb; he wasn't used to hospitals. The last time he set foot in one was when his father brought him to the neighbourhood playground and he broke his arm jumping off the monkey bars- back when times were simple and carefree.

The doctor touched Chad's arm, bringing him out of his reverie. "But you can speak to me, sir. I'm the main doctor here. Are you in pain?"

"No, but I'm supposed to be," Chad replied, remembering the plan.

The doctor's lips turned up in a small, nervous smile. "How do you mean?"

Chad waved his hands in the air. "Never mind, never mind," he said. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet. "How much for a room?"

He felt like slapping himself. The doctor must think he was a mental patient!

"This isn't a hotel, sir, it's a hospital." So patronizing.

Chad sighed, and then dove into a detailed explanation of his and Tawni's plan.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Ten minutes later, when the story had been told and Chad leaned back comfortably in a waiting room chair, the doctor put his clipboard in his lap and grinned at the distraught actor.

"Well, mister Cooper," he said, standing up and holding out his hand, "I'd be happy help."

Chad grabbed the out-stretched hand and pulled himself up.

"Thank you," he said with a smile.

x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x

Sonny shifted in the uncomfortable airplane seat and stifled a sigh as she stared out the foggy plane window. Of all the thoughts running through her head, one stood out the most:

_What do you think you're doing, Sonny?_

Sonny chewed at her lip, her brown eyes wide and distant- now that she was actually on the plane and heading to California, Sonny was starting to question whether this was a good idea or not; because at that moment, it was leaning more towards the latter.

She couldn't do this. Exactly four years and a day ago, Chad had pretty much ruined her life. The impact he had on her was devastating. She had left her jo-

Sonny shook her head sharply.

No.

She refused to go down memory lane on that particular subject.

Suddenly, a vibration next to the seat made Sonny jump. Turning, she saw Tawni grab her phone.

"Tawni!" Sonny hissed, glancing around to make sure the flight attendants didn't see her, "What are you doing? You can't have a phone on!"

Tawni rolled her eyes, "Yeah, like some stupid airplane rule is going to restrain me. Totally."

Shaking her head, Sonny chuckled softly. "Who is it?"

Tawni smiled. "Nico. He, Grady, and Zora are insanely excited to see you. They've missed you a lot."

Sonny grinned unexpectedly, suddenly remembering her old friends. "What have they been up to, anyway?" she asked, leaning back into her seat and staring at Tawni.

When Tawni actually set her phone down and faced Sonny, Sonny knew this was going to be long. Tawni dove into a full explanation about after So Random ended, Nico and Grady started a joke shop ("Seriously, back then I didn't believe they would, but they totally did!") and Zora continued to host her prank show, which was getting more popular by the day. Tawni herself was just hopping around from TV show appearance to interview to photo shoot to hit Blockbuster releases. ("The movie industry is ten times better than TV. You have to try it.")

"Oh, by the way, I forgot to mention this to you," Tawni exclaimed around three hours into the flight. Sonny raised an eyebrow, signalling for her to continue. "Since most of Hollywood already knows that you're coming back, I've scheduled some interviews for you. You know, just the basics- Ellen, Oprah, Regis and Kelley, all that."

Sonny's smile diminished and was replaced with a frown. "Wait, what? Seriously?"

Tawni's smile faltered, "Wait, you're upset?"

Sonny nodded, getting angry, "Of course I'm upset! You had no right to do that! I don't even want people to know that I'm here, it'll just make it harder when I go back." The last part of the sentence faded more into a whisper and Sonny found she was gazing out the window again.

Tawni didn't say anything; she just bit her lip slightly and hoped that Sonny wouldn't notice her worried expression.

Sonny sat in an angry silence for a few minutes, before sighing. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have blown up like that. It just took me by surprise."

Tawni smiled understandingly. "It's cool. Trust me, I yell at people all the time. No biggie."

Sonny nodded slightly and looked out the window for a couple of seconds before looking back at Tawni. "Any word on Chad?" Sonny asked quietly, hating the way her heart started beating faster at the mention of his name.

Tawni shook her head, "Nothing that you don't already know." Tawni paused, and then touched Sonny's hand. "He really misses you, Sonny."

Sonny didn't answer. Sighing, Sonny turned in her seat and faced the window, watching the clouds pass beneath the plane as it glided towards the city she feared the most, the city where she experienced love and betrayal, the city that broke her heart.

Home.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

"Sonny Munroe!"

"Allison! Over here!"

"Why did you come back?"

"What are you doing here in Hollywood?"

"Look over here, Miss Munroe!"

Sonny threw her hand over her face, squinting as the bright flashes of light attacked her. As soon as she stepped into LAX, cameras and people were in front of her, shouting and screaming her name. Part of her missed the attention, but most of her was glad she abandoned it when she did.

"Anyone who doesn't want my shoe heel in their eye better _BACK THE HELL OFF_!" Sonny heard Tawni shout. Immediately, the photographers took a giant step back.

"Thank you."

Sonny gripped her duffel bag like it carried her life and used her free hand to push through the crowd.

_Get to the limo_, she told herself. _Get to the limo and you'll be safe._

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Both girls finally made it to the limo waiting for them outside the airport. Sonny didn't even stop to put her bags in the trunk; she just dove into the car and ordered that the door be shut immediately.

With a heavy sigh, Sonny glanced at Tawni. Tawni was, of course, beaming- she loved cameras on her.

"Oh, come on, Sonny," Tawni said, noticing annoyed look. "It was just a few cameras."

"A few cameras?" Sonny practically screeched, throwing her arms in the air. "Tawni, that was a sea of people. Why did you make me do this?"

"Because," Tawni said, fiddling with the rings on her fingers and then finally making eye contact with the distressed ex-actress. "He needs you, Sonny."

x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x

_Relax, Chad_, the voice in his head repeated over and over again. But no matter what he tried to tell himself, Chad was shaking uncontrollably. The stiff hospital sheets weren't comforting at all and the bright lights in the room made him sweat.

The door slowly opened as Chad was counting the four hundred and sixty seventh time his knee bounced nervously. His head jerked up, panic in his eyes.

"Are you all set, mister Cooper?" The friendly doctor asked with a gentle smile.

"Yes, thank you, it's perfect. So, you remember that—"

"As soon as I see her I'll lead her to your room. Sonny, right?"

Chad gulped. That _name_.

"Uh, y-yup, that's the name. Thanks, doc."

The doctor nodded and left the room, leaving Chad to himself. He paced, he sat, he paced, he lied down, he paced, and paced some more. Finally, he collapsed on the hospital cot, rubbing his face with his hands.

His phone buzzed.

_**We r here. B rdy.**_

It was Tawni. Chad dropped his phone and tried to calm his breathing as he sat at the edge of the bed, anxiously waiting.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.

"Mister Cooper, someone is here to see you," the doctor said.

Chad blinked, and there she was. Her long brown hair; her deep, dark eyes; her slender frame; her lips; everything was exactly how he remembered. His breath hitched in his throat.

"Oh. My. God," Sonny growled.

* * *

_**Sorry for such the long wait! But reviews are appreciated :) Thanks so much for the support!**_

**_~Emily&Emily._**


	5. Retaliation

_**Thank you everyone for your support on this story! Emily and I are really enjoying writing it. It's the only project I have running right now, so it's nice to sit down and write for a bit every once in a while :)**_

**_Review please, and tell us what you think and if you like what you're reading! I love feedback!_**

**_~Emily&Emily_**

"Sonny," Chad whispered, barley able to believe his eyes.

Oh, my god.

She was _t__here_- right in front of him.

Chad felt dizzy, couldn't speak, couldn't move, and couldn't think. Practically in shock, Chad seemed oblivious to the extremely angry Sonny.

"Of course," Sonny spat, whipping around to glare at Tawni who was lingering in the doorway. "I should have known." It was more of a growl than anything, and Tawni quivered.

Shrinking back slightly, Tawni said, "Sonny, please don't be angry, this was the only way-"

"Only way?" Sonny interrupted, hands on her hips. "Because, I don't know, being _honest _never occurred to you?"

Tension in the air was so thick that breathing became very difficult.

Chad quickly hopped out of the hospital bed, hating how things were not going as he expected. Of course, Chad didn't really know what to expect, but certainly not this.

"Sonny-," he tried to say.

"And _YOU_!" Sonny exclaimed, turning back around from Tawni and jabbing a finger in Chad's face. "I don't even think I can talk to you!"

Chad felt a pain in his chest as he realized that Sonny was so defensive right now because of what he did to her, four years ago. The realization made his body ache.

"I just had to talk to you! What was I supposed to do?" Chad defended himself, staring at Sonny's angry eyes.

Sonny squeezed her eyes shut and rubbed her temples. "Yeah, well did it ever occur that I didn't want to talk to you?" Sonny asked in a small, heart-broken voice. "After all you did to me, what'd you think I would do, leave and come back after a week?"

"No, no, Sonny, I didn't think-," Chad quickly stopped talking when Sonny held up her hand to silence him.

Sonny looked up at Chad, and he felt his breath being pulled out of his chest when he saw the look in her eyes, showing him that the pain from four years ago was still as fresh for her as it was for him.

"No, you didn't think," she forced out through clenched teeth.

Chad took a step forward. "Sonny, please…"

"I-I," Sonny stopped, a hand out to halt his slow advance. "I tried to forget about you. Forget about how much of a _low-life _scum-bag you were. How your broke my heart and didn't care." Her voice sounded stronger than she was feeling.

Chad bit his tongue, desperately wanting to scream, 'I did! I did care! I love you! _I still love you!"_

Chad looked up at the ceiling, then back at Sonny, and gasped to see that she was trembling with rage, her eyes wet and furious.

"You haven't changed." Sonny hissed dangerously. Tears started to fall from her eyes. "You're still the deceitful, lying, idiotic _jerk_ that I let myself fall for." Sonny wiped her eyes, trying to stop any other tears from escaping.

Chad watched in anguish, feeling his heart squeezing and convulsing with the pain of how Sonny was feeling. Did he really do all of this to her?

"I-I just wanted to talk to you." Chad spoke quietly, afraid that he'd set the crying brunette off and push her further.

But it was too late for that.

"Oh, that definitely makes things better," Sonny snapped, sarcasm dripping off every word. "Because since your just Chad Dylan freaking Cooper, you get everything you ever wanted handed to you on a silver platter. You act without thinking and you don't consider the consequences!"

"What's wrong with wanting to talk?" Chad burst loudly, feeling more and more frustrated.

"What's _wrong_?" Sonny shouted back, "You hurt me! You hurt me and automatically think that I can forgive you! Maybe that's how you look at things, but I deserve better than this. I deserve a _hell_ of a lot better that what you put me through."

Sonny shook her head angrily and grabbed her purse. "I'm leaving," she spat venomously, turning on her heel.

"Sonshine-" Chad slipped, freezing.

Sonny stopped, her eyes widening slightly. "Erm, I have to pee." Tawni squeaked, ducking out of the door and shutting it closed.

Sonny began to shake furiously. Hot, salty tears spilled out of her eyes as she turned around slowly and faced Chad, whose eyes were wide and afraid.

"What did you just call me?" Sonny demanded in a low voice.

Chad backed up, "Sonny. I called you Sonny. I mean, what else is there to call you besides Sonny? Not like I would call you Sonshine or anything, pshh!" Chad rambled nervously, scared by the dangerous glint in her eyes.

"Never, _ever_, call me that again," Sonny spat, "This was a mistake." Sonny opened the door and shot Chad one last death glare, "Thinking that you had even remotely changed was a big mistake." And with that, Sonny slipped through the door, slamming it closed.

Chad jumped at the noise, Sonny's words echoing in his brain.

Well. That didn't go as planned.

Chad sighed and flopped down on the hospital bed. Great. Now Sonny just hated him even more. She was probably booking a flight back to Wisconsin that very moment.

The door opened slightly, and Tawni appeared, tears gleaming in her eyes. "That was. . ." she trailed off, shaking her head.

"I don't know what to do," Chad whimpered pitifully.

Tawni swallowed, "Me neither."

Chad groaned angrily and stood up, walking past Tawni. "I need some air," he mumbled, opening the door and quickly walking away from the dreaded hospital room.

Maybe, if he tried hard enough, the last ten minutes would be erased from time. He could start over.

Or, better yet, if time could erase the last four years.

A small smile settled on Chad's lips as he thought of what life could've been if he didn't screw up the best thing life ever gave to him.

x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x

"How could you? Tawni, I trusted you!" Sonny said, walking quickly away from the hospital and towards the car. Her purse was swinging violently off her arm and her cheeks were crimson with anger.

Tawni, in her high heels, tried to catch up, panting closely behind.

"I'm sorry, Sonny!" she pleaded. "I didn't think it would end up like this."

Sonny whipped around. "Well what exactly did you expect, Tawn?" Her voice was growing louder and louder with each word. "That I waltz in, see his face, and fall back in love? It doesn't _work_ like that, and it was extremely stupid of both of you to think that it would!"

Deep breaths was all it took for Sonny to realize she was really screaming, and people walking by slowed down and stared for a while.

Tawni tucked her hair behind her ear and looked down.

"That's what I thought," Sonny said. She went to turn around and keep walking toward the car when a hand caught her shoulder.

"I'm so sorry, Sonny," Tawni said, sincerity evident in her smooth voice. Her eyes sparkled with sadness, and Sonny sighed.

"Just get in the car," Sonny said, her voice forceful and almost forgiving. _Almost_. She opened the door and slid onto the leather seats.

As the slick black vehicle pulled out of the parking lot, the blonde turned to the brunette and flashed a shy smile.

Sonny raised her eyebrow in question, and Tawni said, "Did I forget to mention you have a radio interview in twenty minutes?"

"Tawni!"

_**Reviews are like cookies...they're just awesome ;)**_


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